High Flow Notice - Wastewater Treatment Plant

As a result of heavy rainfall over the last 48 hours coupled with previously saturated ground, flow through the Shelburne Falls WWTF has exceeded designed capacity. 1.5+ inches of rain drove the flow at the facility to over 400 gallons per minute. That is equivalent to over 0.5 million gallons per day or 200% of designed capacity. Wastewater, treated to much less than the required minimum of 85% removal, went to the Deerfield River throughout the day. Measures were taken to lessen the discharge but had little effect. Water downstream of the treatment facility should be considered unsafe for contact for at least 3 days. Even at the rate the sewage was coming to the facility, we had no reports of sewer back-up or surcharge of raw sewage from the collection system including both Buckland and Shelburne areas.

We anticipate levels will return to normal within the next 24 to 36 hours. 

Daniel M Fleuriel

Chief Operator